Best zaw weapon?

[BethTheBean]

Good afternoon, Tenno.

I've been experimenting with arcanes after their interface rework. After picking up more arcanes and plague pieces from the OPS event, I was wondering if there's a Zaw build that's (currently) considered the best.

Weapon type? Crit or Status based? Are the weapon arcanes worth it, and on which weapon build?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[Dreamforger]

I made a crit zaw, but I think due to condition overload and scaling status is better. With the new zaws I think you can hit 38% status.

Else google warframe zaw builder, then there should be a site where you can test them all

[(XBOX)oOJeshuanOo]

My favorite had even crit/status with slash being base damage

[Duavey]

Crit/status hybrid Zaws are typically BiS for their weapon class. Not so sure as to a best overall Zaw though. Possibly polearm, for the range.

 

[Lawmonark]

There is no "best" zaw.

Two people can have two separate zaws... and it is the "best" for them.  It has more to do with playstyle.

Do you favor speed over damage?

Do you favor status over crit?

Do you favor fasion frame... because you one shot everything anyway?

[RagingLendi]

Currently I am using a Mewan Zaw Polearm with kroosha and Vargeet II Ruhang ( I believe, doing this off the top of my head). 32% base crit chance and it shreds. With the right mods I do red crits only and recently bought a CC+CD+Negative Riven so now I simply wreck stuff, kinda overkill. 9.7 crit multiplier is pretty sick. It has really slow attack speed but I solve that with Berserker and R3 Arcane strike.

I went for crit because I love seeing those red crits. But no doubt status is more effective in really really high level content like lvl 200 index or long survival runs. 

My Mewan zaw one-shots lvl 3 Sortie enemies if the combo counter is above 5.  Also do endless Kuva with it up to 60min. Easy.

I see people worrying about 'Omg need max dps weapons' too much. Pick the style/type of damage/weapon you like and find out which combination makes that for a Zaw.

If you are thinking about status based weapon, try out the Lesion before making a Zaw.  If the Lesion doesnt satisfy you, start building a Plague Kripath polearm. Inate viral and a beast.

Use Semlar zawcalc for that, you can see it's gilded stats before building. If you like it, build it.

[NinjaZeku]

My Zaw of choice is a (Polearm) Cyath, where I went for full Status (Blood Rush + Maiming Strike has Crits covered perfectly well)
so that Crit Slash procs will shred whatever survives the initial (+225% pure Toxin because I can) spin to win.

I even got a Cyath Riven that reduces the Impact base damage / proc chances, woo :D

Exodia-wise, I'm digging Epidemic, not least because it triggers 100% of the time unlike Hunt (DE why),
plus I often use Melee in mid-air for the momentum boost, giving me some additional distance especially straight up,
so Contagion would be getting triggered all the time and possibly kill me, making that (sadly) a nope for me :P